Thermal Design Lead

Thermal Design Lead, Client Platforms
Austin, TX Hybrid (3 days onsite)
12 Months

About the role:
Join Client s Client Engineering organization to lead thermal strategy and execution across pre- and post-silicon for nextgen CPUs, GPUs, and mobile systems. You ll own thermal requirements, modeling, validation, and cross-functional integration delivering classleading products that delight users in performance, acoustics, and comfort.
What you ll do
Lead end-to-end thermal program development for client products (pre-silicon through validation and post-silicon).
Define silicon- and system-level thermal, power, and cooling requirements; author clear customer-facing documentation.
Collaborate with CPU/GPU architecture, performance, BIOS/SMU, packaging, and customer engineering teams to align thermal strategies.
Own thermal design, modeling (CFD), test, and debug for mobile & desktop [GR1.1]platforms, drive design decisions and trade-offs.
Develop and validate fan policy/curves; optimize thermal controls for APU/CPU, GPU, and hybrid systems.
Diagnose thermal interactions (power, performance, controls) at silicon, package, and system levels; rapidly drive alternative solutions.
Ensure delivery of bestinclass designs by influencing IP floorplans, component placement, and system integration for thermals.[DM2.1]
Continuously improve processes, methodologies, and automation to accelerate thermal development and validation.
Communicate status, risks, and decisions effectively to executives and crossfunctional stakeholders.
What you ll bring (must-haves)
Deep expertise in heat transfer and fluid dynamics, with hands-on systemlevel thermal design experience.
Advanced proficiency in CFD for electronics cooling (Icepak and/or Flotherm).
Strong background in thermal validation and debugging of new silicon and system hardware/software issues.
Practical knowledge of thermal components and materials (fans, heatsinks, shields, spreaders, TIMs) and how they impact product performance.
Ability to analyze and message package thermal resistance impacts (e.g., silicon performance, genongen changes) to internal and external audiences.
Proven collaboration across architecture, power/performance, BIOS/firmware, and customer engineering teams.
Executivelevel communication skills able to distill complex technical topics into clear decisions and updates.
Extensive lab experience including:
oData acquisition and automation
oSystem teardown/rebuild, instrumentation (thermocouples, IR cameras, power/thermal sensors), and test fixture design.
oSystem impedance and fan (P-Q curve) characterization using an airflow bench.
oTest planning, execution, and analysis for thermal performance, acoustics, and skin temperature.
Preferred
Mechanical CAD experience (Creo or SolidWorks).
Experience with Multiphysics modeling and warpage analysis is a bonus.
Experience designing and validating fan control policies/curves for client systems.
Familiarity with PC architecture and hands-on system setup/testing (VRAM, NVMe, VR, memory, charging circuits).
Understanding firmware-managed power/thermal features and controls across APU/CPU, GPU, and combined systems.
Experience influencing IP floorplans and component placement for thermal optimization.
Why this role matters: Your work directly shapes thermal performance, acoustics, and user comfort in AMD s flagship client products. You ll partner closely with architecture and system teams, see your decisions ship at scale, and set the bar for thermal excellence in the industry.
Qualifications
Not an entry-level or fresh grad position
BS/MS in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
BS + 8 years or MS + 6 years or PhD + 3 years of relevant experience in thermal design, analysis, and validation of electronic systems.